Best Credit Cards with Free Airport Lounge Access Philippines - Eligibility, fees and rewards

If you can choose yourself a credit card with lounge access from the Philippines, you could get your next trip overseas off to a luxurious start. Credit cards with airport lounge access allow you to go into select lounges - often with a guest - to relax and recharge before you step on a plane. But which is the best credit card with free airport lounge access in the Philippines?

This guide takes a closer look, outlining key factors like eligibility, travel perks, and rewards. We’ll also share more about the Wise card, a handy card to pack along to save while spending abroad.

What to look out for in a credit card with lounge access?

When you select a credit card with lounge access you’ll need to weigh up the pros and cons of a few different options. The costs may be a factor, as well as the eligibility rules for each card - but you’ll also need to look carefully at the details of the lounge access offer. Some cards give you unlimited access - at least to some lounges - while others have very low caps. Here are a few things to think about when you select your preferred card.

Type of lounge pass

Many lounge access credit cards offer their benefits in association with another lounge network, such as Priority Pass or Dragon Pass. Some also offer unlimited access to local lounges in select airports in the Philippines. The network your card supports can make a difference to which specific lounges you’re allowed to go into. Selecting a card which offers access to lounges in airports you visit regularly can mean you make more use of your benefits.

Frequency of lounge visits

Before you choose a lounge access credit card, check how many times you can enter airport lounges for free, the costs if you exceed this, and whether or not you’re able to take a guest with you. As well as limits on the number of times you can go to a lounge, you’re likely to find that access to lounges is subject to availability, and there may be a time limit on your stay. This can be a surprise if you’re turned away after you’ve been looking forward to your lounge visit, so read all the card offer’s terms and conditions before you sign up.

Card minimum spend

A final point to watch out for. Some credit cards with airport lounge access add in other eligibility requirements in the small print. This can include spending a fixed minimum amount before you can actually visit the lounge. If this is the case you’ll need to look carefully at what’s needed to exercise your benefits and make sure the terms are suited to your spending patterns.

Best credit card with free airport lounge access in the Philippines

Let’s explore our top choices for the best credit card with free airport lounge access in the Philippines. We’ve looked at eligibility, fees, and the specific details of the lounge access offered. This includes whether you can use international lounges or only local lounges, and the number of visits offered annually. There’s also a roundup of the extra travel perks offered in case you can’t pick between the cards we’ve highlighted.

EastWest Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer World Mastercard¹

The EastWest Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer World Mastercard lets you access over 1,300 airport lounges globally. You can visit up to 10 times a year, with one guest, through the card’s partnership with DragonPass.

As with all lounge access schemes, access to lounges is subject to availability, and there may be a time limit on your stay. However, you can pre book some lounges through the DragonPass app which makes it far easier to access the lounge you want. There’s no need for a physical card to show you have DragonPass - it’s all managed through your app which makes it convenient when you’re on the move.

RCBC Visa Platinum²

The RCBC Visa Platinum could be a great credit card with free airport lounge access from the Philippines if you travel from NAIA often. You can get unlimited access to the PAGSS Lounge in Terminals 1 or 3 for you and a guest, as well as Priority Pass membership to let you get into other lounges when you travel.

This card is also a strong option if you use air miles to pay for flights or to upgrade your flight class, as you will earn miles as you spend which don’t expire, and which can be redeemed against the rewards schemes of several popular airlines.

BPI Platinum Rewards Card⁴

With the BPI Platinum Rewards Card you can benefit from up to 4x annual access to Priority Pass lounges subject to 30,000 PHP card spending in a single transaction, on select hotels, airlines, and travel agencies. This gives access to 1,300 lounges around the world, plus you can also get in airport deals and discounts on merchants, food and beverage and spas. Cards also offer some free travel insurance and reward points, which you can earn faster when you’re spending in a foreign currency compared to locally.

Security Bank Platinum Credit Card⁷

The Security Bank Platinum Credit Card might be your preferred option for credit card with free airport lounge access in the Philippines, with unlimited local lounge access available covering A Lounges, Marhaba Lounges and PAGSS Lounges. Aside from lounge access you can also get extra perks from Mastercard, and travel and purchase insurance as part of the package. The annual fee is waived in year one which also makes this a good option if you’re not sure which card you’ll prefer.

This card is only available to Filipino citizens residing in the Philippines, and there’s a minimum income requirement to meet. You’ll also need to have been employed for a year or profitably self employed for 3 years.

American Express Platinum Credit Card⁹

The American Express Platinum Credit Card has a huge range of lounge benefits. You and your traveling companion can use your card to get into PAGSS International Lounges in NAIA Terminals 1 and 3, 1,300 Priority Pass lounges worldwide and Centurion lounges. You may also be entitled to enter Delta SkyClub lounges, although this benefit is for the cardmember only.

The American Express Platinum Credit Card is a premium card, and as such is offered by invitation only. You’ll need to speak to the card issuer yourself to understand if you may be eligible for this card if you’d like to explore the benefits available.

Travelling soon? Bring along a credit card for lounge access, and the Wise card to maximise your foreign currency transactions

Before your next trip overseas, why not order a Wise card to spend while you travel with the mid-market exchange rate and low, transparent fees.

With the Wise card, makaka gastos ka ng 40+ currencies sa mid-market rate, kasama ang USD, SGD, GBP at JPY. Kaya, siguradong makakakuha ka ng sulit na deal sa mahigit 150+ countries. Para makapagsimula, gumawa ka lang ng libreng Wise account, mag-order ng card, at mag-top-up ng PHP.

Maaari kang mag-order ng physical card ng Wise sa halagang 369.90 PHP. Kung mayroon kang physical na card, makakagawa ka ng chip and PIN payments, at may 2 libreng ATM withdrawals na aabot sa 12,000 PHP bawat buwan.

Kapag nasa abroad ka, puwede mong piliing gumastos ng direct as PHP at hayaan mag auto-convert, o i-convert sa gusto mong currency gamit ang iyong Wise account. Kahit ano piliin mo, makukuha mo ang rate na nakikita mo sa Google, na may kasamang low, transparent fees mula 0.57%.

Save while you spend, and make overseas spending seamless with a Wise card.

💳 Kumuha ng Wise card

Wise Pilipinas is regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. For any questions or concerns, check out our Help Centre, or log into your account to talk to us by phone, email or chat.

Sources:

1. EastWest Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer World Mastercard
2. RCBC Visa Platinum
3. RCBC Visa Platinum fees
4. BPI Platinum Rewards Card
5. BPI Platinum Rewards Card fees
6. BPI Priority Pass terms
7. Security Bank Platinum Credit Card
8. Security Bank Platinum Credit Card fees
9. American Express Platinum Credit Card
10. American Express Platinum Credit Card fees